Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with bakingsoda

The Joy of Nasal Rinsing

Toekneesan — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 11:20:21 -0800

What do you put in your Neti Pot? I'm tired of paying >$9 for 50 small packets of salt. I'd like to make my own but I'm wondering about recipes. If you use a Neti Pot, do you make your own rinse? If so, what do you add? Does it ever change— during cold or allergy season, for example? Anything beyond salt and baking soda? What ratios do you use? Bonus points for bulk recipes.

How do I increase alkalinity in my freshwater aquarium on the cheap?

chinston — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 18:04:17 -0800

How do I add alkalinity (i.e., buffering capacity) to my 6 gal. freshwater aquarium using something cheap, like baking soda? I have a small 6 gallon aquarium with four tetras. It's been running for about two months now, and the nitrogen cycle seems to have pretty much run its course. I saw a spike in ammonia, then a spike in nitrites, and now those are both near zero.

But my problem is persistently low pH levels - like near or even below 6.0. I cannot get them to rise, even with regular water changes. The test strip I use indicates that the alkalinity of the water is at the very lowest level, suggesting that there's no buffering available. Frankly, I don't understand why my water changes haven't made a difference - supposedly my tap water (treated to remove chlorine and chloromine) is slightly on the hard side, and my understanding is that regular water changes with tap water should be all that I need to keep the alkalinity at desired levels to prevent sudden severe pH drops.

Anyway, for whatever reason that doesn't seem to be working, and the fish don't seem happy. Can I put a tiny amount of baking soda (or some other cheap substance) into the water to give me the buffering capacity that I lack? I'd prefer a solution like this than buying a commercial product, but I'll do that if necessary.

baking soda and hair

puffin — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 09:45:57 -0800

What is baking soda doing to my hair? I've been using baking soda (mixed with water or baby shampoo to make a paste) to wash my hair for the past couple of months because it cleans my oily hair better than any shampoo I have come across.

Since then, my (dark brown) hair is noticeably lighter. After coming back to school a number of people have commented on it.

Is the baking soda really bleaching my hair over time? Will my hair continue to get lighter and lighter as long as I continue to use it? I don't mind the slight difference now, but I don't really want my hair to get significantly lighter. This also makes me question whether it is safe for me to be slathering baking soda paste all over my head every other day or so.

Vegan enchiladas recipe

Margalo Epps — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 11:45:01 -0800

What's a recipe for vegan enchiladas that includes either baking soda or baking powder in the tofu filling? I used to have a great recipe for vegan enchiladas, but I seem to have lost it along the way somewhere, and I haven't been able to find a replacement.

From memory, the filling was made from blending tofu, possibly oil & onion, and definitely either baking soda or baking powder. It was this last ingredient that made all the difference -- it made it lighter and a bit fluffy.

Please help me find this recipe.